A surprise contender for Omega King has emerged, and it’s Aquaman.
After the final 16 combatants were determined in K.O. #2, the King of the Sea, Aquaman, was matched up against the warrior of the sky, Hawkman. With only eight spots available for the next round, both Justice League members and friends have to fight to the very end to see who can stop Darkseid from ending all of existence. An immediate follow-up to K.O. #2, Aquaman #15 is a continuation and tie-in issue to the event of the year.
By Sea,& By Air
The story starts with Aquaman letting the self-proclaimed “Justice League Blue” know that he will have to go away and fight in this crazy tournament. While the rest of the team is apprehensive, Aquaman makes it clear that this is the only way.
That was the past. In the present, Aquaman and Hawkman are throwing haymakers, each using their advantages to work with their respective environments, the sky and the sea. However, as soon as Hawkman questions Aquaman’s ability in an area without water, Arthur lets him know that water is everywhere. Manipulating the water, Aquaman drowns Hawkman and ends the first round.
After a brief interlude at the Justice League Watchtower, where we continue to unravel the story of Booster Gold being taken over by Darkseid, Carter is given the power of Horus to try and get a leg up on Arthur. This is when we find out that each round is a best-of-three. Horus’ power is not for naught, as Aquaman uses the 60% water in Hall’s body against him to stiffen his body and drive him to the ground, where Hawkman is soundly defeated.
Aquaman advances to the Elite Eight and awaits his next opponent.
The Fallout
Aquaman is now in the elite eight of the tournament and looks like a legitimate threat to win the whole thing. From the outside, Aquaman can sometimes be seen as a joke character—I blame the 1960s Super Friends cartoon for this—but for ball knowers, Aquaman has always been the overpowering king of the sea who can take on anyone at any time. This isn’t your grandad’s Aquaman; this one is the most powerful—and deadly—iteration we have ever seen, and a real contender to win the whole thing.
Who Arthur faces in the quarterfinals is yet to be determined. The King of Atlantis will face either evil madman Lex Luthor or the demon with the bars, Etrigan. What an intriguing matchup. Regardless of who it is, what’s to stop this new Arthur Curry from draining every ounce of blood from their bodies and ending the battle? THIS is the intriguing part of this new Aquaman and what makes him one of the more fascinating characters in this storyline.
What Worked?
All this is to say, it all works. Aquaman comes out looking STRONG and formidable. Aquaman being able to use the “blue”, like Swamp Thing uses the “green”, is one of the most creative and innovative ways to revamp the King of Atlantis and gives him a fresh new characterization. The cut back to the Watchtower gives us a clear line of demarcation between the two rounds, which makes the issue breathe a little better. But perhaps the thing that works best for this issue is that it makes you want to pick up the next one and makes you think about how the conclusion you already had in your head was wrong.
Not only that, but Aquaman’s monologuing makes him feel big and like someone’s problem. It could be Darkseid’s problem in the end. It is nice to see another DC hero emerge as a threat to Darkseid when it’s only been the Trinity for a long time. I know this has been a Superman-centric story thus far, but what’s to say this doesn’t end as an Aquaman story? This could be his Gohan in the Cell Games moment.
This version of Aquaman makes you wonder how DC can introduce an Absolute version of Arthur Curry.
Few Things are Perfect
My only gripe is that the issue opens with Carter Hall and Arthur Curry facing off, ready for battle. There really wasn’t a warm transition from the main title to the tie-in issue. The voice of the Heart of Apokolips could be heard saying, “Let the battle commence,” but if you are reading this coming straight off K.O. #2, that might be a bit confusing, as they were fighting in that issue for the Cosmic Rod. It took me a second to figure out this was after that second challenge, not within it—although that would have been a really cool idea.
I know too much exposition is a bad thing, but not enough can also be a hindrance. Maybe the Heart of Apokolips, in one sentence, saying, “Sixteen remain. Only eight advance. Let the battle begin,” could have done it for me. I don’t know if this was an issue for anyone else, or perhaps just my dumb brain, but it did throw me off the story for a second or two. Picking up the rest of the tie-in issues to check whether this is the same issue will be a fun task.
Art
Jon Timms’ art continues to impress in this run and really shines in Aquaman vs. Hawkman. His combination of sleek, cartoonish (complementary) stylings with gruff, realistic drawings pairs superbly together. Not only does it make the action very easy to follow, but it also makes the contrasting styles convey the importance of the battles. Timms’ sense of scale is excellent, which helps us understand how enormous this battlefield really is. With such a big realm and two very powerful characters, it’s important to scale it properly and show off how imposing our heroes are and how grand the whole battle is.
Timms’ skill in drawing faces and their emotions is fantastic and vital to the story. After Carter Hall is defeated the first time, the look of disappointment on his face jumps off the page. When Hall is drowning, and again right before Horus gives him his god power, the emotions his face conveys, topped off by a great five o’clock shadow, communicate a sense of shame and disappointment. It’s the little details like that that will keep seasoned readers coming back.
Final Verdict
This was a fantastic issue, one that not only continues the main story of the K.O. tournament but also satisfies the craving for more, as we wait for issue #3. There are so many instances where these tie-in issues feel more like a side mission or unnecessary for the main plot, but Aquaman #12 really does feel essential reading to fully grasp what is going on with the story as a whole. That is what these tie-in issues should be, and it makes you want to pick up the others immediately to get the complete story. While a little hiccup at the beginning, that didnt take away from the overall success of the issue. This was a watershed issue for Aquaman's character. Make sure to read it.
8.5/10